Slider

ABSTRACT

A slider for slide fasteners is provided with resilient means for retaining the pull tab in locked position. The resilient means is formed integrally with the pull tab and surrounded by an opening so that it can flex in engagement with a prong on the slider body and thus permit the pull tab to snap into locked position.

United States Patent Kawashima Aug. 19, 1975 [54] SLIDER 2,262,188 11/1941 Marinsky 24/205.14 A 2,383,197 8 1945 J h 24 205.14 A [75] Inventor: Teruaki Kawashima, Namerikawa, 2 501 749 311950 2 I 241/198 Japan 2,552,066 5/1951 Sorenson 24/217 [73] Assignee: Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha,

Tokyo, Japan Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier 1 1 Flledi g- 31, 1973 Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette [21] APPL No: 393,640 Attorney, Agent, or FirmBucknam and Archer [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 5, 1972 Japan 47403540 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 24/205.l5 R; 24/205.15 H; 24/217 A slider for slide fasteners is provided with resilient [51] Int. Cl A44b 19/26 means for retaining the pull tab in locked position. [5 Field O Search /205.14 R, 20514 The resilient means is formed integrally with the pull 2 /205. 15 H, 205.15 B, 205.1 1 L, 217, 216, tab and surrounded by an opening so that it can flex in 208 A, 230 F, 108 engagement with a prong on the slider body and thus permit the pull tab to snap into locked position. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 Chims, 6 Drawing Fi 2,162,275 6/1939 Stanchfield 24/217 W SET 1 IF 2 FIG.2

19a 19 19b 19c PATENTED AUG 1 91975 SHEET 2 0f 2 SLIDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in sliders particularly suitable for such slide fasteners which are used for various transport containers, sealed storage bags and the like.

A wellknown form of slider for a slide fastener consists basically of a top and a bottom wing member, a wedge-shaped post connecting these wing members and a pull tab pivotally connected to a supporting lug rising from the top wing. More advanced types of sliders further include a prong projecting from the top wing at an end opposite to the supporting lug, which prong is adapted to engage resiliently in an aperture formed in the pull tab whereby the tab, when flipped down flat against the top wing, can be retained snappingly into position against accidental movement.

It is to these latter types of sliders which the present invention is directed. Prior art sliders of the class described or the so-called snap type have suffered from the disadvantage that due to the aperture in the pull tab being peripherally limited and confined which means that the elastic deformation and resiliency obtainable around the inner marginal edge of the aperture are extremely limited, manipulation of the pull tab is heavy and sluggish to take the prong forcibly into and out of such confined aperture. Repeated manipulation of the pull tab in this manner often resulted in worn periphery of the prong, shortening the life of the slider as a whole. This phenomenon is pronounced particularly with diecast sliders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the above noted drawback of the prior art sliders in view, the present invention has for its primary object to provide an improved slider of the class described wherein the pull tab can be locked into position or the slider body with a high degree of stability and with a minimum of frictional wear, ensuring a prolonged service life of the slider as a whole.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear clear from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals denote like and corresponding parts throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the front of a slider embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view, partly broken away, of the slider of FIG. 1, showing the operation of its pull tab;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-section of the slider of FIG. 1, diagrammatically illustrating the sequence of the pull tab movement corresponding to that shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a frontal plan view of another preferred form of the slider according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the same with parts broken away to show the locking position of the slider.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, there is shown a slider 10 constructed in accordance with the invention which comprises a top wing or plate member 11 and a bottom wing member 12 connected together at one end by an integral post 13 defining a channel for the passage of slide fastener elements (not shown). Projecting upwardly from the top wing 11 is a front supporting lug or bail 14 to which a pull tab 15 is pivotally connected. The pull tab 15 has a locking pin member 16 downwardly projecting from adjacent the pivotal end of the tab 15 and engageable between the fastener elements to lock the slider 10 in stationary position.

In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the pull tab 15 is provided therein with an opening 17 which is formed to consist of a vertically elongated central channel and a pair of opposite parallel side channels 17b,l7b, which opening is thus configured to resemble the letter T as best depicted in FIG. 1. The provision of the opening 17 results in a pair of spaced apart, elongated solid locking tongues 18,18 formed integrally with the tab 15 between the central channel 17a and side channels 1712,1717, each of which tongues is thus surrounded by open space created by the opening 17 and is thereby imparted a sufficient resiliency to flex sidewise particularly as desired in the locking operation hereafter described.

Designated at 19 is a rear supporting lug or prong projecting upwardly from the top wing 11 at an end opposite to the from supporting lug 14 and at a position corresponding to the central channel 17a near the free ends of the two locking tongues 18,18. The rear supporting lug 19 is provided, as better shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, with an upwardly tapered top portion 1911, a central barrel portion 19b and a reduced neck portion 19c.

With this construction, when the pull tab 15 is flipped down flat against the top wing 11 to lock the same against movement, this locking operation is performed accurately and smoothly without encountering any appreciable mechanical wear of frictionally engaging parts. More specifically, the locking operation of the pull tab 15 characteristic of the present invention is best depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrating the sequential steps of movement of the pull tab 15 wherein the tab 15 engages the rear lug l9 first with the locking tongues 18,18 mounted astride of the tapered top portion 19a of the lug 19. This is indicated by the downwardly directed arrows in FIG. 4.

Further lowering the pull tab 15 causes the locking tongues 18,18 to flex or spread elastically sidewise in a direction away from each other in engagement with the central barrel portion 19b as indicated by the horizontally outwardly directed arrows in FIG. 4. As the pull tab 15 is moved further down past the barrel portion 191;, the locking tongues 18,18 are elastically urged back towards each other and snapped into locked engagement with the reduced neck portion 196 of the lug 19 as indicated by the horizontally inwardly directed arrows in FIG. 4.

A second preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein the pull tab 15 is provided therein with a substantially S-shaped opening 20 consisting of a horizontally extending center channel 20a and a pair of spaced parallel upper and lower channels b,20b on opposite sides of the center channel 20a. The provision of the thus configured opening 20 provides a pair of spaced locking tongues 2L2l surrounded by the channels 20a and 20!).

Designated at 22 is a rear supporting lug or prong corresponding to that already described in connection with the first embodiment. The lug 22 has a tapered surface 22a for abutting engagement with the lower one of the locking tongues 21 during the downward arcuate movement of the pull tab 15, a central barrel portion 221) and a reduced neck portion 220 adapted for purposes hereinabove stated in connection with the first embodiment.

Having thus described the invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the specific form and construction herein advanced, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A slider for a slide fastener, which comprises a top wing; a bottom wing; a post integral with said top and bottom wings and connecting them together at one end which constitutes the front end of the slider; a front lug disposed at said front end of the slider and projecting away from said top wing; a rear lug disposed at the end of the slider opposite said front end and projecting away from said top wing; a generally planer pull tab pivotally connected to said front lug and having catch means engagable with said rear lug, said catch means including means defining an opening in the pull tab and a pair of parallel spacedapart elastically flexible tongues integrally formed with and lying in the plane of the pull tab and projecting into said opening, said rear lug having a tapered portion, a central barrel portion and a reduced neck portion having surfaces disposed for resilient snap-action engagement with said tongues to releasably secure the pull tab in lock position against the top wing.

2. A slider according to claim 1 wherein said tongues project substantially in the same direction and said opening in the pull tab is generally of a T-shaped configuration.

3. A slider according to claim 1 wherein said tongues project in generally opposite directions, and the opening in the pull tab is of a generally S-shaped configuration. 

1. A slider for a slide fastener, which comprises a top wing; a bottom wing; a post integral with said top and bottom wings and connecting them together at one end which constitutes the front end of the slider; a front lug disposed at said front end of the slider and projecting away from said top wing; a rear lug disposed at the end of the slider opposite said front end and projecting away from said top wing; a generally planer pull tab pivotally connected to said front lug and having catch means engagable with said rear lug, said catch means including means defining an opening in the pull tab and a pair of parallel spaced-apart elastically flexible tongues integrally formed with and lying in the plane of the pull tab and projecting into said opening, said rear lug having a tapered portion, a central barrel portion and a reduced neck portion having surfaces disposed for resilient snap-action engagement with said tongues to releasably secure the pull tab in lock position against the top wing.
 2. A slider according to claim 1 wherein said tongues project substantially in the same direction and said opening in the pull tab is generally of a T-shaped configuration.
 3. A slider according to claim 1 wherein said tongues project in generally opposite directions, and the opening in the pull tab is of a generally S-shaped configuration. 